It's not easy being one of Stephen King's "constant readers", as he refers to his die-hard fans. You tell yourself that you're an intellectual and that you have a well-rounded interest in the literary world, but when you bring King up to one of your friends, you're always met with the gently condescending line about him being "the guy who writes those scary stories." And of course, they are correct, Stephen King is the modern-day "master of horror" and you'd be hard-pressed to find anything scarier than "The Shining", "It", or "Salem's Lot." But there is so much more to Stephen King than that.
King has dabbled in fantasy ("The Talisman", "The Dark Tower" series), science fiction ("Firestarter", "The Dead Zone"), prison dramas ("Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption", "The Green Mile"), coming of age dramas ("The Body", "Hearts in Atlantis"), and one very great apocalyptic epic ("The Stand"). He has published novels under a pseudonym (Richard Bachman), and he has given us collections of short stories and novellas that have often been extraordinary. Along the way, he has given us some of the most memorable, absorbing and captivating prose that I have ever experienced.
He hasn't always been great, or even good. For far too long, he was obsessed with writing stories about writers, and for every "Misery" and "Dark Half", there were his share of duds. The last fifteen or so years have produced more duds than classics, with forgettable titles like "Cell", "Gerald's Game", "Dolores Claiborne", and "Rose Madder". For me, I know it's a bad Stephen King book when I only read it one time. Whether the cause was aging, or the trauma of the car accident which almost killed him, it was pretty obvious to me that King had reached his peak in the early 80's. The exception to that rule was the last three books of "The Dark Tower" series, which were, for the most part, excellent, although the act of writing himself into the saga and making himself a somewhat important supporting character was pretty stupid, and just didn't work. Other than that, however, the last 15 years have been pretty disappointing.
That, however, has not stopped me from buying and reading every new book King has produced. As any "constant reader" will admit, I am totally hooked. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw "Duma Key" staring at me in a Target store a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't heard anything about it, and of course, I bought it right on the spot.
It's easy for me to tell right off the bat if it's a good King or a bad King. A good King will grab me right from the start, and I will be unable to put it down. A bad King becomes a chore, and although I will always finish the book, it becomes more an act of obligation (see the aforementioned "Cell", for an example). I'm happy to report that "Duma Key" grabbed me right from the very first chapter. In fact, the new book has all the elements of classic King: strong characters, an interesting premise, and a story that goes in unpredictable directions. And, oh yes, it also has some extremely scary moments. It takes a lot for me to get scared by a book these days, but "Duma Key" had me actually jumping a few times.
"Duma Key" is the name of one of the smaller and lesser-known Florida keys (at least in the book it is), and it becomes the refuge for the main character after he suffers a terrible accident, which causes him first to lose his right arm, and then his marriage. He ends up renting a home on Duma Key, where he suddenly discovers that he has somehow developed a masterful talent for art, first by sketching and then by painting. Sounds a little dull? Trust me, it is anything but that, and I have no intention of divulging anything more of this wonderful plot. The joy is in the discovery itself.
I won't say that "Duma Key" belongs with the holy trinity of King classics, "The Stand" (my personal favorite), "The Shining", "It", "The Talisman", "Christine", "The Mist", etc. It's too soon for that, and yes, I will have to read it again. I have no problem saying, however, that it is clearly one of the best King novels in a long time and an extremely enjoyable read. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story, whether you are a "constant reader" or not.
Wow, Stephen King's best book in maybe the last 15 years and Springsteen's best album in at least 25. Not bad at all.
5 comments:
Thanks for the post. And the other ones too!
I saw a nice review (or collection of reviews) in "The Week" magazine. So I was curious. Your review clinched it for me. I'll get it from the library at first opportunity!
I have a number of authors I read, regardless what they write. I liken it sometimes to a pitcher-- often when they're new it's exciting, lots of speed, even when off the plate. Sometimes, as they get older, they mix in more junk..and sometimes you know they're just chucking stuff, slow & off the plate just to get thru. But then, when you least expect it--bam-- a gem that reminds you why they're on the staff.
I've read a lot of King, tho not everything-- The Stand was excellent-- but I think Shawshank was one of the finest pieces of literature I've ever read--certainly in my top 10--maybe higher. The movie was so good 'cause the dialogue is lifted word for word from the book.
I must admit that I haven't read Stephen King. I get scared pretty easily.
I like to read blogs -- like that Brucefan is back!
Very good read.
More words please.
Despite the fact he is a girly-man, I join in B's request.
Pardon me, I believe the word is "meterosexual"
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